Chamber and committees

The Cabinet Secretary and myself have had no discussions with the Scottish Ambulance service since their appointment regarding neonatal transport. The Scottish Ambulance Service and ScotSTAR are members of the Perinatal Sub Group that conducted the Options Appraisal report and continue to be closely involved through that forum in discussions about implementation. The Best Start recommended that a review be undertaken to look at the staffing model for the neonatal transport service and funding was provided by the Scottish Government to the Scottish Ambulance Service to take this forward.

The Scottish Government has received the report from NHS National Services Scotland on the options appraisal process on Mother and Baby Unit provision in Scotland. It is intended to publish the report once those options have been fully considered and next steps determined.

Full details of the digital prescribing and dispensing programme are publicly available on NHS National Services Scotland website. See https://www.nss.nhs.scot/national-programmes/digital-prescribing-and-dispensing-pathways/about-the-digital-prescribing-and-dispensing-pathways-programme/ .

Through this website, information on stakeholder engagement is detailed within quarterly newsletters which also confirm progress against key milestones. The programme as a whole remains on track, as set out in our Digital Health and Care Delivery Plan.

In May 2021 the Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans Joint Group – Strategic Oversight Group set a priority to develop a Veteran aware GP accreditation programme, now called the General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans Recognition Scheme (“the Scheme”). The aim of the scheme is to raise awareness among General Practice of some of the health challenges that veterans and Armed Forces Families face as a result of military service and improve person centred outcomes and care for the armed forces community.

Following the incorporation of feedback from practices who agreed to be part of an initial pilot, I can confirm that the Scheme will be open to all General Practices in Scotland on 6 November 2023.

General Practices who wish to sign up to the Scheme, should contact [email protected] for more information.

Section 41 of The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (“the Continuity Act”) required Scottish Ministers to review and prepare a report on the following matters:

• whether the provisions of this Chapter have ensured that there continues to be effective and appropriate governance relating to the environment following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU,
• whether the law in Scotland on access to justice on environmental matters is effective and sufficient, and
• whether and, if so, how the establishment of an environmental court could enhance the governance arrangements.

The Report into the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance Arrangements was published on 1 June. The subsequent consultation on the Report was launched on the 2 June and closed on the 13 October.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the responses made to the consultation on the Report, and as required by s41 of the Continuity Act will publish a response to Parliament, including recommendations in response to the views raised in the consultation.

In the 2022-23 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government reaffirmed our commitment to explore a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill to support greater implementation of the National Performance Framework and ensure that the interests of future generations are considered in decisions made today.

Ministers and officials have been engaging with several stakeholders including meeting with Ms Boyack MSP earlier this month. This has assisted with developing policy proposals.

The proposed Bill may seek a statutory requirement that ensures public bodies and local authorities consider the long-term consequences of their decisions for the wellbeing of people in Scotland, including those not yet born. We are considering whether a Future Generations Commissioner is the most appropriate way to ensure the support and accountability which would need to accompany such duties. It will be important to consult widely on this broad policy area to ensure that any legislation is effective.

The Minister for Parliamentary Business regularly discusses legislative proposals and potential legislative vehicles with his Ministerial colleagues, including the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill. However, introduction of specific primary legislation is considered in the wider context of overall legislative programmes. Decisions on future legislative programmes are a matter for Cabinet and will be announced in relevant Programmes for Government, in the normal way.

In the 2023-24 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government stated its commitment to continue to explore the development of legislative proposals on a wellbeing and sustainable development Bill, to support greater implementation of the NPF, and to ensure the interests of future generations are taken into account in decisions made today.

Governance for the programme is provided by the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Programme Board which met for the first time in November 2021. The Board has met regularly since then and stakeholder representation includes:

• NHS Board Primary Care Leads
• NHS Board Directors of Pharmacy
• NHS Board e-Health Leads
• Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland
• Scottish General Practitioners Committee (of the British Medical Association)
• Community Pharmacy Scotland
• Non-Medical Prescribers Group
• NSS Contractor Prescribing Payments team

At each meeting, the Board discusses key issues and interdependencies such as appliance supply. This will ensure that we continue to develop and adapt as necessary through the life of the programme. At the appropriate time, we will consider engaging with other stakeholders, such as the British Healthcare Trades Association.

If stakeholders wish to keep up to date on progress, including a quarterly newsletter, the latest information can be found on the NSS’ website . The programme also welcomes any feedback and comments, and these can be submitted by emailing: [email protected].

When launched, the initial iteration of the solution will replace the paper prescription with a digital solution. We will achieve this by developing an end-to-end digital solution for in-hours prescribing from general practices through to community pharmacy dispensing. Appliance items which are prescribed from in-hours general practice for community pharmacy dispensing, will come under the new process at this time.

If NHS health boards have alternative arrangements in place for appliance prescribing and dispensing, then these may be included in subsequent phases of the programme. Appliances for patients will continue to be prescribed and dispensed during any period of change.

Work is also underway to produce an Equality Impact Assessment which will provide a wide view of how the digital solution will affect people. These findings will be used to ensure that we can mitigate against any challenges or issues in the design of the DPDP digital solution while ensuring that it is inclusive and accessible.

The National Menopause Specialist Network is open to healthcare professionals with a special interest in menopause. The Network currently has over 55 members with representatives from all mainland Health Boards.